Just found out my 10 year old patio furniture cushions are made from recycled water bottles

I was replacing the foam inside them this weekend and read the tag, turns out Sunbrella fabric is made from recycled plastic, which blew my mind since they've held up through 3 moves and a hail storm, has anyone else noticed their furniture materials getting more eco-friendly without them realizing it?

3 comments

3 Comments

keithbutler5d ago

3 moves and a hail storm is actually part of the problem with the recycled plastic thing. That Sunbrella fabric is basically just plastic woven together tight, so when it starts breaking down from weather and sun after a few years, you're releasing microplastics into your yard. My buddy works at a recycling center and he told me most of those "recycled" bottle fabrics can't actually be recycled again once they wear out because the fibers are too short, so they just end up in the landfill anyway. You're essentially paying premium prices for plastic that's going to sit in a dump for 500 years instead of the regular plastic foam and polyester that does the same thing. I get that people like feeling good about buying eco-friendly stuff but sometimes it's just marketing fluff dressed up in green paint.

rosebarnes19d ago

Oh wow, that's actually really cool... I had no idea Sunbrella was doing that with recycled bottles. My parents have had the same set for like 8 years and they still look brand new, even after being left out in the rain half the time. It's kind of nice to know companies are sneaking in eco-friendly stuff without making a big deal about it, you know? Makes me feel better about all the plastic I've been indirectly supporting through my furniture choices. I'm definitely going to check my tags next time I'm swapping out foam or cleaning them up.

mila_harris19d ago

Totally agree @rosebarnes, my neighbor's Sunbrella chairs lasted through a hurricane and still looked new.